Retailers rank return fraud high on their list of challenges: Tactics like wardrobing are gaining popularity, forcing companies to tighten return policies at the risk of alienating honest shoppers.
Influencers face uncertainty amid potential TikTok ban: Most creators have backup plans and are seeing increased engagement on other platforms, with Facebook and Instagram as top alternatives.
Kohl’s turnaround strategy remains a work in progress: The retailer’s sales fell 4.2% with comparable sales down 5.1% as shoppers showed more discretion in their spending.
Walmart eyes big growth opportunities ahead: The retailer expands its third-party services offerings, while also adding high-end beauty products, collectibles, and other pre-owned products to its marketplace.
Capital One sued for improperly sharing user data: A class action lawsuit shows how quickly improperly obtained information spreads across the ad ecosystem.
Lego builds momentum: The company grew sales 13% in the first half of the year with strength across its portfolio.
Apple’s “services” sector faces layoffs: Despite a significant round of cuts, Apple is unlikely to back away from advertising.
A long-needed Instagram feature is here: The ability to add text and layer images to photos and Reels will help increase time spent on the app.
California lemon law overhaul seeks to slow flood of lawsuits: Specialist law firms helped drive a 52% year over year increase in litigation over defective vehicles.
The administration approved $521 million to expand EV charging infrastructure, crucial for adoption. However, progress has been slow, with just seven stations built over two years.
AT&T’s 2023 outage, caused by a technician’s error, led to a three-year compliance plan and a $950,000 fine. With a history of outages
xAI's Grok now links election queries to Vote.Gov, but the AI model’s inadequate filters raise concerns about misinformation during a critical election season.
Yelp’s antitrust lawsuit accuses Google of monopolizing local search services by prioritizing its own results and limiting competition. The case’s outcome could reshape online search
On today's podcast episode, we discuss the unofficial list of the most interesting retailers for the month of August. Each month, our analysts Arielle Feger, Becky Schilling, and Sara Lebow (aka The Committee) put together a very unofficial list of the top eight retailers they're watching based on which are making the most interesting moves: Who's launching new initiatives? Which partnerships are moving the needle? Which standout marketing campaigns are being created? In this month's episode, Committee members Arielle Feger and Sara Lebow will defend their list against analysts Blake Droesch and Sarah Marzano, who will dispute the power rankings by attempting to move retailers up, down, on, or off the list.
The AI-transcription wearable is pitched as a “business partner” for the workplace, but its limited functionality may fail to gain traction against smartphone alternatives.
Both retailers used generative AI to improve employee productivity in Q2—Walmart leveraged the tech to improve its product catalog and Target used it to enhance in-store employee tools. Target’s curbside pickup service helped it grow digital comparable sales 8.7% YoY, while Walmart’s marketplace and sales of GLP-1 drugs contributed to its 4.2% comp sales growth YoY.
Attention metrics are gaining popularity as marketers seek ways to diversify their data and measurement strategies.
British shop prices fell YoY for the first time since October 2021: Retailers slashed prices to move summer clothes and household goods.
Holiday sales forecasts range between 2% and 4.8%: That variation reflects an unusual environment shaped by lingering inflation, potential interest rate cuts, and a volatile election season.
The fraud prevention company could bolster Visa’s push into value-added services